Islamic and Arab philosophy Books

Book SynopsisThis is the first English translation of the last chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences. After expounding his Sufi philosophy of death and showing the importance of the contemplation of human mortality to the mystical way of self-purification, Ghazali takes his readers through the stages of the future life: the vision of the Angels of the Grave, the Resurrection, the Intercession of the Prophet, and finally, the torments of Hell, the delights of Paradise andfor the electthe beatific vision of God''s Countenance.In this new edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included a translation of Imam Ghazali''s own Introduction to the Revival of the Religious Sciences which gives the reasons that caused him to write the work, the structure of the whole of the Revival, and places each of the chapters in the context of the others.

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Book SynopsisFitzroy Morrissey's brilliant guide to Islamic thought – from its foundation in the seventh century to the present day. 'A magisterial accomplishment' Professor Eugene Rogan 'The best guide to Islamic thinking that I've read' James Barr 'I greatly enjoyed [it]' Peter Frankopan, Spectator, Books of the Year Day after day we read of the caliphate and the Qur'an, of Sunni and Shi'a, Salafis and Sufis. Almost a quarter of the world's populate is Muslim. Understanding the modern world requires knowing something about Islam. Tracing fourteen centuries of Islamic history – from the foundation of Islam in the seventh century and the life of Muhammad, through the growth of great Islamic empires, to the often fraught modern period – Fitzroy Morrissey considers questions of interpretation and legacy, of God and His relationship with His followers, of the lives of Muslims and how they relate to others. He presents the key teachings of the Qur'an and Hadith, analyzes the great works of Islamic theology, philosophy, and law, and delves into the mystical writings of the Sufis. He considers the impact of foreign cultures – Greek and Persian, Jewish and Christian – on early Islam, accounts for the crystallization of the Sunni and Shi'i forms of the faith, and explains the rise of intellectual trends like Islamic modernism and Islamism in recent times. In this way, Morrissey presents not a monolithic creed, but a nuanced faith made up of several often competing – and always fascinating – intellectual tendencies. This concise and engaging volume will appeal to readers looking to better understand the world's second largest religion and to those interested in the intellectual history of the last millennium and a half.Trade ReviewA magisterial accomplishment based on extensive reading into Islamic sources across the centuries. Balanced and clear, and a fascinating read, this is the best guide to the history and theology of Islam in print -- Professor Eugene RoganThis lucid, concise and humane book is the best guide to Islamic thinking that I've read. Fitzroy Morrissey explains the key developments, from the Qu'ran to Khomeini, setting them in a context that makes them much easier to grasp and writing in a way that makes you want to know what happened next. If you are looking for an introduction to the principles of Islam, or for enlightenment on the Sunni-Shia split or Islam's different schools of thought, this is the book you need -- James BarrI greatly enjoyed Fitzroy Morrissey's A Short History of Islamic Thought * Spectator *This is a book I know I will frequently refer to. The subject is both relevant and daunting. In Morrissey's hands it is fascinating and a pleasure to read -- James Barr, Engelsberg Ideas

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Book SynopsisShariah is by now a term that most Americans and Europeans recognize, though few really understand what it means. Often portrayed as a medieval system used by religious zealots to oppress women and deny human rights, conservative politicians, media commentators, and hardline televangelists stoke fear by promoting the idea that Muslims want to impose a repressive Shariah rule in America and Europe. Despite the breadth of this propaganda, a majority of Muslims-men and women-support Shariah as a source of law. In fact, for many centuries Shariah has functioned for Muslims as a positive source of guidance, providing a moral compass for individuals and society. This critical new book by John L. Esposito and Natana Delong-Bas aims to serve as a guide for what everybody needs to know in the conversation about Shariah, responding to misunderstandings and distortions, and offering answers to questions about the origin, nature, and content of Shariah.Trade ReviewThis book could not be more timely. It provides a clear, lucid and scholarly guide to Shariah which should shatter the ignorant myths that surround it with an aura of evil. If we wish to win hearts and minds it is essential that we learn what is actually in them and not rely on what we imagine might be there. This eminently accessible introduction will help people to do just that. * Karen Armstrong, author of Islam: A Short History *The clear writing and solid scholarship make it [Shariah] a valuable reference work. * Publishers Weekly *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: SHARIAH TODAY: MYTHS AND REALITIES CHAPTER 2: SHARIAH: THE BIG PICTURE (or SHARIAH & ISLAMIC LAW?) CHAPTER 3: SHARIAH COURTS CHAPTER 4: THE FIVE PILLARS AND COMMUNITY LIFE CHAPTER 5: WOMEN, GENDER AND THE FAMILY CHAPTER 6: GOVERNMENT, LAW AND ORDER CHAPTER 7: FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTSCHAPTER 8: WAR, PEACE AND THE COMMON GOOD CHAPTER 9: CRIMINAL LAW AND JUSTICE CHAPTER 10: ISLAMIC FINANCE IN A GLOBAL WORLD CHAPTER 11: SCIENCE, BIOETHICS, AND HUMAN LIFE

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Book SynopsisThe Arabic philosophical fable "Hayy Ibn Yaqzan" is a classic of medieval Islamic philosophy. This book places "Hayy Ibn Yaqzan" in its historical and philosophical context.Trade Review"An enchanting and puzzling story.... The book transcends all historical and cultural environments to settle upon the questions of human life that perpetually intrigue men." - Middle East Journal "Goodman has done a service to the modern English reader by providing a readable translation of a philosophically significant allegory." - Philosophy East and West "Adds bright new pieces to an Islamic mosaic whose general shape is already known." - American Historical Review "One of the most remarkable books of the Middle Ages." - Times Literary Supplement"

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Book SynopsisCopleston, in the second volume of A History of Philosophy, deals with the reconciliation of philosophy and theology of the early Christian period to the thirteenth century.Frederick Copleston was Professor of the History of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Theology at London University. This eleven-volume work is one of the most remarkable single-handed scholarly enterprises of modern times. Volume 2 covers Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine of Hippo, Averroes, Avicenna, Boethius, Bonaventure, Maimonides and Duns Scotus.The book covers the Patristic period, including the work of Augustine, and then considers the Carolingian renaissance, Islamic and Jewish philosophy, before finally going into extensive detail on the thought of Aquinas and Scotus.Brimming with detail and enthusiasm, A History of Philosophy gives an accessible account of philosophers from all eras and explains their works in relation to other philosophers. Each volume is an ideal guide for students studying specific eras and as a set offers a complete and unrivalled overview of the entire western philosophical tradition.Trade ReviewA monumental history . . . learned, lucid, patient and comprehensive. * New Statesman *We can only applaud at the end of each act and look forward to applauding again at the final curtain. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsI Introduction PART I: PRE-MEDIEVAL INFLUENCES II The Patristic Period III St. Augustine I IV St. Augustine II: Knowledge V St. Augustine III: God VI St Augustine IV: The World VII St Augustine V: Moral Theory VIII St Augustine VI: The State IX The Psuedo-Dionysus X Boethius, Cassiodorus and Isidore PART II: THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE XI The Carolingian Renaissance XII John Scotus Eriugena I XIII John Scotus Eriugena II PART III: THE TENTH, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURY XIV The Problem of Universals XV St. Anselm of Canterbury XVI The School of Chartres XVII The School of St. Victor XVIII Dualists and Pantheists PART IV: ISLAMIC AND JEWISH PHILOSOPHY: TRANSLATIONS XIX Islamic Philosophy XX Jewish Philosophy XXI The Translations PART V: THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY XXII Introduction XXIII William of Auvergne XXIV Robert Grosseteste and Alexander of Hales XXV St. Bonaventure I XXVI St. Bonaventure II: God's Existence XXVII St. Bonaventure III: Relation of Creatures to God XXVIII St. Bonaventure IV: The Material Creation XXIX St. Bonaventure V: The Human Soul XXX St. Albert the Great XXXI St. Thomas Aquinas I XXXII St. Thomas Aquinas II: Philosophy and Theology XXXIII St. Thomas Aquinas III: Principles of Created Being XXXIV St. Thomas Aquinas IV: Proof of God's Existence XXXV: St. Thomas Aquinas V: God's Nature XXXVI: St. Thomas Aquinas VI: Creation XXXVII: St. Thomas Aquinas VII: Psychology XXXVIII: St. Thomas Aquinas VIII: Knowledge XXXIX: St. Thomas Aquinas IX: Moral Theory XL. St. Thomas Aquinas X: Political Theory XLI. I Introduction PART I: PRE-MEDIEVAL INFLUENCES II The Patristic Period III St. Augustine I IV St. Augustine II: Knowledge V St. Augustine III: God VI St Augustine IV: The World VII St Augustine V: Moral Theory VIII St Augustine VI: The State IX The Psuedo-Dionysus X Boethius, Cassiodorus and Isidore PART II: THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE XI The Carolingian Renaissance XII John Scotus Eriugena I XIII John Scotus Eriugena II PART III: THE TENTH, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURY XIV The Problem of Universals XV St. Anselm of Canterbury XVI The School of Chartres XVII The School of St. Victor XVIII Dualists and Pantheists PART IV: ISLAMIC AND JEWISH PHILOSOPHY: TRANSLATIONS XIX Islamic Philosophy XX Jewish Philosophy XXI The Translations PART V: THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY XXII Introduction XXIII William of Auvergne XXIV Robert Grosseteste and Alexander of Hales XXV St. Bonaventure I XXVI St. Bonaventure II: God's Existence XXVII St. Bonaventure III: Relation of Creatures to God XXVIII St. Bonaventure IV: The Material Creation XXIX St. Bonaventure V: The Human Soul XXX St. Albert the Great XXXI St. Thomas Aquinas I XXXII St. Thomas Aquinas II: Philosophy and Theology XXXIII St. Thomas Aquinas III: Principles of Created Being XXXIV St. Thomas Aquinas IV: Proof of God's Existence XXXV St. Thomas Aquinas V: God's Nature XXXVI St. Thomas Aquinas VI: Creation XXXVII St. Thomas Aquinas VII: Psychology XXXVIII St. Thomas Aquinas VIII: Knowledge XXXIX St. Thomas Aquinas IX: Moral Theory XL St. Thomas Aquinas X: Political Theory XLI St. Thomas and Aristotle: Controversies XLII Latin Averroism; Siger of Brabrant XLIII Franciscan Thinkers XLIV Giles of Rome and Henry the Great XLV Scotus I XLVI Scotus II: Knowledge XLVII Scotus III: Metaphysics XLVIII Scotus IV: Natural Theolgoy XLIX Scotus V: The Soul L Scotus VI: Ethics LI Concluding Review Appendices I Honorific Titles applied in the Middle Ages to Philosophers treated in this volume II A Short Bibliography Index of names Index of subjects

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Book SynopsisIn this work, here presented in a complete English edition for the first time, the problem of knowing God is confronted in an original and stimulating way. Taking up the Prophet''s teaching that ''Ninety-nine Beautiful Names'' are truly predicated of God, Ghazali explores the meaning and resonance of each of these divine names, and reveals the functions they perform both in the cosmos and in the soul of the spiritual adept. Although some of the book is rigorously analytical, the author never fails to attract the reader with his profound mystical and ethical insights, which, conveyed in his sincere and straightforward idiom, have made of this book one of the perennial classics of Muslim thought, popular among Muslims to this day.This volume won a British Book Design and Production Award in 1993.

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Book SynopsisThe spiritual life in Islam begins with riyadat al-nafs, the inner warfare against the ego. Distracted and polluted by worldliness, the lower self has a tendency to drag the human creature down into arrogance and vice. Only by a powerful effort of will can the sincere worshipper achieve the purity of soul which enables him to attain God''s proximity.This translation of two chapters from The Revival of the Religious Sciences details the sophisticated spiritual techniques adopted by classical Islam. In the first step, On Disciplining the Soul, which cites copious anecdotes from the Islamic scriptures and biographies of the saints, Ghazali explains how to acquire good character traits, and goes on to describe how the sickness of the heart may be cured.In the second part, Breaking the Two Desires, he focusses on the question of gluttony and sexual desire, concluding, in the words of the Prophet, that ''the best of all matters is the middle way''.The translator has added an introduction and notes which explore Ghazali''s ability to make use of Greek as well as Islamic ethics. The work will prove of special interest to those interested in Sufi mysticism, comparative ethics, and the question of sexuality in Islam.

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Book SynopsisA provocative examination of how the great religious traditions can remain relevant in modern times by incorporating scientific truths learned about human nature over the last century A single purpose lies at the heart of all the great religious traditions: awakening to the astonishing reality of the true nature of ourselves and the universe. At the same time, through centuries of cultural accretion and focus on myth and ritual as ends in themselves, this core insight has become obscured. Here, Ken Wilber provides a path for re-envisioning a religion of the future that acknowledges the evolution of humanity in every realm while remaining faithful to that original spiritual vision. For the traditions to attract modern men and women, Wilber asserts, they must incorporate the extraordinary number of scientific truths learned about human nature in just the past hundred years?for example, about the mind and brain, emotions, and the growth of consciousness?that the ancients were simply unaware of and thus were unable to include in their meditative systems. Taking Buddhism as an example, Wilber demonstrates how his comprehensive Integral Approach?which is already being applied to several world religions by some of their adherents?can avert a ?cultural disaster of unparalleled proportions?: the utter neglect of the glorious upper reaches of human potential by the materialistic postmodern worldview. Moreover, he shows how we can apply this approach to our own spiritual practice. This, his most sweeping work since Sex, Ecology, Spirituality, is a thrilling call for wholeness, inclusiveness, and unity in the religions of tomorrow.

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Poverty and Abstinence is the thirty-fourth chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya'' ''Ulum al-Din), which is widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality. In Al-Ghazali on Poverty and Abstinence, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali considers two themes dear to Islamic devotional literature: poverty and abstinence. Taking as his example the Prophet''s love for the poor, Ghazali explains that poverty is not simply an accidental state of destitution that might befall anyone but rather an inner acceptance of the Will of God and a form of abstinence for His sake. Thus the life of poverty described by Ghazali in Al-Ghazali on Poverty and Abstinence refers to what every devoted follower of the Prophet is meant to adopt whatever his or her outer state may be.In this new edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included the translation of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali''s own Introduction to the Revival of the Religious Sciences which gives the reasons that caused him to write the work, the structure of the whole of the Revival and places each of the chapters in the context of the others.

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Book SynopsisA nuanced and highly original anarchistic interpretation of Islam, and Islamic interpretation of anarchismTrade Review'This is one of the fiercest books I've ever read. It is a call to action. It is conceptually rich and gives us new methodological tools for thinking theory and politics together. It is unrelenting in its critique of liberal assimilationist tendencies in diasporic and BIPOC knowledge production and movement organizing. Abdou is a truth-teller of the highest order. Drawing together disparate geographies and thought into a dazzling web of interconnectedness and dialogue, Islam and Anarchism proffers a kaleidoscopic vision of what could be otherwise' -- Jasbir K. Puar, author of 'Terrorist Assemblages' and 'The Right to Maim''A passionate plea for a spiritual decolonial movement. Mohamed Abdou advances a vision of Islam that is abolitionist at its core, reminding us that Islam has been and can still be a religion of the oppressed, one that is anti-capitalist, egalitarian, anti-ableist, anti-patriarchal, queer feminist and for Muslims and non-Muslims alike' -- Sherene H. Razack, Distinguished Professor and Penny Kanner Endowed Chair, Gender Studies, UCLA'An uncompromising queer-feminist vision of decolonial, abolitionist, and anti-capitalist praxis that is keyed to the pluralistic traditions of Islamic spirituality and anarchic thought' -- Iyko Day, Elizabeth C. Small Associate Professor of English and Critical Social Thought at Mount Holyoke College, MassachusettsTable of Contents1. Introduction: Panegyric Desert of the Present 2. Authoritarianism, Capitalism, & Capitalist Nation-States: Anarca-Islam's Space and Political Consciousness in Relation to Anarchism, Islam and the Capitalist-State 3. An Anti- and Non-Authoritarian Islam and an Anti- & Non-Capitalist Islam 4. (Im)Possibilities and on Becoming an Anti-Militaristic Militant 5. Conclusion: There are Only Middles, No Beginnings and No Ends: A Note On Transnational Solidarity and Standing In-Between Trump, BLM, DAPL-INM, and Tahrir

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Book SynopsisIn Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the world. For over 700 years the international language of science was Arabic. Surveying the golden age of Arabic science, Jim Al-Khalili reintroduces such figures as the Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon; al-Khwarizmi, the greatest mathematician of the medieval world; and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a Persian polymath to rival Leonardo da Vinci. ''Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham''  Independent ''He has brought a great story out of the shadows''   Literary Review ''His command of Arabic and mathemaTrade ReviewBrings alive the bubbling invention and delighted curiosity of the Islamic world ... his command of Arabic mathematical physics invests his story with sympathy as well as authority -- Tim Radford * Guardian *A fascinating and user-friendly guide to this whole scientific movement -- Noel Malcolm * Seven, Sunday Telegraph *Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham. To think otherwise, as this book so powerfully reveals, is to do disservice to the tradition to which they belong -- Kenan Malik * Independent *Spry, informative and timely ... Al-Khalili takes the reader through a brisk survey of the highlights of the period -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *A fascinating introduction to a neglected area. His approachable style and ability to distil extensive knowledge into simple narrative makes Pathfinders an absorbing read -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *Enjoyable and informative ... provides ample evidence for the compatibility of Islam and science -- Sameer Rahim * Daily Telegraph *He has brought a great story out of the shadows * Literary Review *This captivating book is a timely reminder of the debt owed by the West to the intellectual achievements of Arab, Persian and Muslim scholars * The Times *

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Conduct in Travel is a translation of the seventeenth book of the Revival of the Religious Sciences. In it, Ghazali explains the different outer and inner reasons for travel. Outer reasons include the pilgrimage, the search for knowledge, and the flight from danger; while inner reasons include the acquisition of virtue and the disciplining of the soul. Ghazali divides travel into four classes, and portrays the right inward and outward conduct for each. He then follows this with a practical chapter on the use of religious concessions while travelling, and concludes with a final chapter on how the traveller is to establish the proper direction and times for prayer.

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Book SynopsisAverroes (1126-1198) was the first and last great Aristotelian of the classical Islamic world; his commentaries influenced Christian thinkers and earned him a mention in Dante's "Divina Commedia". This text, his most important work, acts as a defence of the role of reason in a community of faith.

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Book SynopsisIslamic Thought is a comprehensive introduction to the philosophies, thought and doctrines of Islam. Abdullah Saeed, a distinguished Muslim scholar, traces the development of religious knowledge from the pre-modern period to the present day. This book examines how Muslim thought has evolved, exploring the production, transmission, and interpretation of religious knowledge, and the trends, schools, and movements that have shaped it. Key topics in Islamic culture and thought are discussed, including the development of the Islamic intellectual tradition, the Qurâan and hadith, legal and theological thought, mystical traditions, Islamic art, philosophy, political thought, and contemporary renewal, reform, and rethinking.This thoroughly revised new edition offers expanded coverage of ShiÊi and other non-Sunni perspectives, alongside the significant emphasis on the Sunni tradition covered in the first edition. Through this rich and varied discussion, Saeed offers a compelling portrayal of the workings of Islamic thought, both in the past and in the present. Islamic Thought is essential reading for students approaching the study of Islam for the first time and anyone interested in learning more about one of the worldâs great religions.

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Book SynopsisFrom the introduction of Greek Philosophy into the Muslim world in the eighth century, right through to modern times, Majid Fakhry charts the evolution and interaction of philosophy, theology, and mysticism in the Islamic context. Highlighting key individuals, movements, concepts and writings, Fakhry also explores the conflicts and controversies between anti- and pro-philosophical parties that have characterised the development of Islamic thought. The book also features coverage of: the translation of ancient texts and their transmission to the Muslim world; the development of a systematic philosophy in Islam; theology, mysticism and the development of Sufism; Islam's interaction with western philosophy and theology; contemporary trends.Trade Review"a concise, meticulous but quite readable overview" "'fakhry writes very clearly, avoiding excessive technial terminology and presenting the mojor arguments succinctly but carefully." " a cogent, clear and highly useful study". * H-MIDEAST-MEDIEVAL *"This introductory work provides the reader with an excellent, concise overview of Islamic philosophy, theology, and mysticism…Fakhry has accomplished presenting the central themes and the essence of 1400 years of intellectual tradition in clear, coherent manner." * Philosophy East and West *

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali''s Book of the Lawful and the Unlawful is the fourteenth chapter of The Revival of the Religious Sciences, which is widely considered as the greatest work of Islamic spirituality. Written by one of the most famous of theologian-mystics of all time, The Book of the Lawful and the Unlawful is unlike other Islamic works concerned with legal issues.Here, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali aims to teach his readers firstly the theory of what is lawful and what is unlawful and how to deal with dubious or ambiguous issues, and secondly how to apply the knowledge they have gained to their everyday lives. The main support for this application, especially in matters that are unclear, is caution or prudence (wara) and Ghazali explains the degrees of prudence necessary beginning with the prudence of the upright and ending with the prudence of the saintly. Thus the sincere practice of what is lawful and desisting from what is unlawful become integrated into one''s spiritual life. As in his other works, Ghazali bases himself on the Qur''an and narrations from the Prophet Muhammad, followed by examples from the Companions, the Successor generations and the pious Predecessors.

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Book SynopsisThe book explores the notion of what it is to be Persian and the idea of Persia as a means of investigating the soul of this fascinating nation.

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Patience and Thankfulness is a translation of the thirty-second chapter of The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya'' ''Ulum al-Din). This chapter falls in the section dealing with the virtues or what is conducive to salvation. Ghazali here presents definitions for patience and its different forms; the need for patience; the degrees of patience; and why patience is considered to be half of faith.The second part of this chapter deals with thankfulness, and again Ghazali gives us definitions for thankfulness, its nature and its blessings. In addition to the translation, Dr Henry Littlejohn provides an extensive introduction which illustrates the importance of the topics of patience and thankfulness in Islam throughout the centuries.In this new edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included a translation of Imam Ghazali''s own Introduction to the Revival of the Religious Sciences which gives the reasons that caused him to write the work, the structure of the whole of the Revival, and places each of the chapters in the context of the others.

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Invocations and Supplications is a translation of the ninth chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya'' ''Ulum al-Din). This chapter falls in the sections dealing with the requirement of religion. The present volume is probably the most widely read compendium of such material, popular not only for its comprehensiveness and beauty, but also for the analytical approach of its author, who explores the psychological and spiritual effects of prayer and the celebration of God''s name.This new fourth edition includes the invocations and supplications in Arabic for those readers who would like to use them in their prayers and a translation of Imam Ghazali''s own Introduction to the Revival of the Religious Sciences, which gives the reasons that caused him to write the work, the structure of the whole of the Revival, and places each of the chapters in the context of the others.

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Book Synopsis The distinguished Moroccan philosopher Mohammed Abed al-Jabri, in this summary of his own work, examines the status of Arab thought in the late twentieth century. Al-Jabri rejects what he calls the current polarization of Arab thought between an imported modernism that disregards Arab tradition and a fundamentalism that would reconstruct the present in the image of an idealized past. Both past and present intellectual currents are examined. Al-Jabri first questions the current philosophical positions of the liberals, the Marxists, and the fundamentalists. Then he turns to history, exploring Arab philosophy in the tenth and twelfth centuries, a time of political and ideological struggle. In the writings of Ibn Hazm and Averroës, he identifies the beginnings of Arab rationalism, a rationalism he traces through the innovative fourteenth–century work of Ibn Khaldun. Al-Jabri offers both Western readers and his own compatriots a radical new approach to Arab thTable of Contents Introduction by Walid Hamarneh Author's Introduction Part One: A Different Reading of the Tradition Discourse Chapter I: The Present Shortcomings Chapter II: For a Scientific Critique of Arab Reason Part Two: Philosophical Thinking and Ideology Chapter III: Historical Dynamics of the Arab-Islamic Philosophy Chapter IV: The Rise and Fall of Reason Chapter V: The Andalusian Resurgence Conclusion: The Future Can Only Be Averroist

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of World Philosophy provides the advanced student or scholar a set of introductions to each of the world''s major non-European philosophical traditions. It offers the non-specialist a way in to unfamiliar philosophical texts and methods and the opportunity to explore non-European philosophical terrain and to connect her work in one tradition to philosophical ideas or texts from another. Sections on Chinese Philosophy, Indian Philosophy, Buddhist Philosophy, East Asian Philosophy, African Philosophy, and Recent Trends in Global Philosophy are each edited by an expert in the field. Each section includes a general introduction and a set of authoritative articles written by leading scholars, designed to provide the non-specialist a broad overview of a major topic or figure. This volume is an invaluable aid to those who would like to pursue philosophy in a global context, and to those who are committed to moving beyond Eurocentrism in academic philosophy.Trade ReviewThis is a much-needed, progressive source promoting a more holistic and inclusive cross-cultural dialogue. It should lead what, in the past, have been seen as disparate philosophical traditions to engage in what could truly become world philosophy, or 'doing philosophy' on a global scale. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsWorld Philosophy, Jay L. Garfield and William Edelglass ; Part I: Chinese Philosophy, edited by Chenyang Li ; Chinese Philosophy, Chenyang Li ; 1. The Yijing: The Creative Origin of Chinese Philosophy, Chung-Ying Cheng ; 2. Classical Confucianism I: Confucius, Peimin Ni ; 3. Classical Confucianism II: Mencius and Xunzi, Manyul Im ; 4. Daoism: Laozi and Zhuangzi, Liu Xiaogan ; 5. Major Rival Schools: Mohism and Legalism, Chris Fraser ; 6. Chinese Buddhist Philosophy, Brook Ziporyn ; 7. Neo-Confucianism, John Berthrong ; 8. Contemporary Confucianism, Shu-hsien Liu ; Part II: Non-Buddhist Indian Philosophy, edited by Nalini Bushan ; Non-Buddhist Indian Philosophy, Nalini Bhushan ; 9. Nyaya-Vaisesika Philosophy, Amita Chatterjee ; 10. Skhya-Yoga, T.S. Rukmani ; 11. Mimamsa, Dan Arnold ; 12. Vedanta, John Taber ; 13. Jain Philosophy, Jeffery D. Long ; 14. Anglophone Philosophy in Colonial India, Nalini Bhushan ; Part III: Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy, edited by William Edelglass and Jay L. Garfield ; Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy, William Edelglass and Jay Garfield ; 15. Abhidharma Philosophy, Jan Westerhoff ; 16. Madhyamaka in India and Tibet, John Dunne ; 17. Yogacara, John Powers ; 18. Buddhist Epistemology (pramanavada), Tom J.F. Tillemans ; 19. Buddhist Thought in Tibet: An Historical Introduction, Matthew T. Kapstein ; 20. Dzogchen, Anne Carolyn Klein ; 21. Buddhist Ethics, Barbra R. Clayton ; Part IV: Japanese and Korean Philosophy, edited by Koji Tanaka ; Japanese and Korean Philosophy, Koji Tanaka ; 22. The Philosophy of Zen Master Dogen: Egoless Perspectivism, Bret W. Davis ; 23. Nishida Kitaro: Self, World, and the Nothingness Underlying Distinctions, John C. Maraldo ; 24. Japanese Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art, Mara Miller ; 25. Japanese Ethics, Robert E. Carter ; 26. Natural Freedom: Human/Nature Nondualism in Japanese Thought, Bret W. Davis ; 27. Korean Buddhist Philosophy, Jin Y. Park ; Part V: Islamic Philosophy, edited by Tamara Albertini ; Re-introducing Islamic Philosophy: The Persisting Problem of "Smaller Orientalisms," Tamara Albertini ; 28. The Hellenizing Philosophers, Andrey Smirnov ; 29. Philosophy of Illumination, Hossein Ziai ; 30. Sufism, Erik S. Ohlander ; 31. Islamic Theology, Eric Ormsby ; 32. Muslim Jurisprudence, Robert Gleave ; Part VI: Philosophy in Africa and the African Diaspora, edited by Albert Mosley and Stephen C. Ferguson II ; Philosophy in Africa and the African Diaspora, Stephen C. Ferguson II ; 33. African Philosophy, Barry Hallen ; 34. Africana Philosophy: Prospects and Possibilities, Tsenay Serequeberhan ; 35. Afro-Caribbean Philosophy, Clevis Headley ; 36. African American Philosophy: A Historical Outline, John H. McClendon III and Stephen C. Ferguson II ; 37. Race in Contemporary Philosophy, Albert Mosley ; 38. Affirmative Action, Rodney C. Roberts ; Part VII: Recent Trends in Global Philosophy, edited by Cynthia Townley ; Recent Trends in Global Philosophy, Cynthia Townley ; 39. Global Feminism, Christine M. Koggel ; 40. Native American Philosophy, Adam Arola ; 41. Indigenous Environmental Philosophy, Workineh Kelbessa ; 42. Cosmopolitanism, Gillian Brock ; 43. Reparations, J. Angelo Corlett ; Contributors

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Book SynopsisSecond edition of the history of Islamic political thought that traces its roots from early Islam to the current age of Fundamentalism (622 AD to 2010 AD).Trade ReviewThis is an outstanding and most welcome book. Since its first publication in 2001, Islam and its corollaries of Islamism and Islamophobia have become household words and everyday currency in Western media. Unfortunately, the upsurge of rhetoric is not equivalent to any substantial knowledge in this area. Fortunately, this revised and updated edition of the text can remedy the pervasive historical and intellectual knowledge gaps. Antony Black, one of the most renowned historians of intellectual and religious ideas, offers us a guide to a complex but crucially important topic in our time. His book deserves the widest possible readership. -- Fred Dallmayr, author of Dialogue Among Civilizations This is an outstanding and most welcome book. Since its first publication in 2001, Islam and its corollaries of Islamism and Islamophobia have become household words and everyday currency in Western media. Unfortunately, the upsurge of rhetoric is not equivalent to any substantial knowledge in this area. Fortunately, this revised and updated edition of the text can remedy the pervasive historical and intellectual knowledge gaps. Antony Black, one of the most renowned historians of intellectual and religious ideas, offers us a guide to a complex but crucially important topic in our time. His book deserves the widest possible readership.Table of ContentsMap; Time Chart; Introduction; Part I: The Messenger and the Law c.622-1000; 1. The Mission of Muhammad; 2. The Idea of Monarchy under the Umayyads and 'Abbasids c.661-850; 3. The Formation of the Shari'a; 4. Shi'ism; 5. The Restoration of Persia c.850-1050; 6. Knowledge and Power: Philosophy without the Polis; Part II: Religion and State Power (din wa dawla): Sunni Doctrine & the State c.900-1220; 7. The Theory of the Caliphate; 8. State and Religion under the Saljuqs; 9. Al-Ghazali: Mysticism and Politics; 10. The Ethics of Power: Advice-to-Kings (nasihat al-muluk); 11. Ibn Rushd; 12. The Politics of Sufism; Part III: The Shari'a and the Sword c.1220-1500; 13. The Rape of Asia; 14. Mamluk Ideology and the Sultan-Caliph; 15. Nasir al-Din Tusi (1201-74): Social Philosophy and Status Groups; 16. Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328): Shari'a Governance (al-siyasa al-shari'yya); 17. The Delhi Sultanate and al-Barani: Statecraft and Morality; 18. Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406): The Science of Civilization and the Governance of Islam; 19. The Decline of Classical Islamic Political Thought; Part IV: Religious Ideology and Political Control in Early Modern States; 20. A New World Order; 21. The State of the House of Osman (devlet-i al-i Osman); 22. The Safavids; 23. India and the Mughals; 24. The Decline and Reform of the Ottoman Empire; Part V: Islam and the West; 25. Modernism from the Ottoman Reforms to the Turkish Revolution; 26. Conservatism and Modernism in Iran; 27. Islamism; 28. Islamism, Reformism and the Secular State; Conclusion; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisShihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi was born around 1154, probably in Northwestern Iran. Spurred by a dream in which Aristotle appeared to him, he rejected the Avicennan Peripatetic philosophy of his youth and undertook the task of reviving the philosophical tradition of the "Ancients."

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Book SynopsisPart of the encyclopedia of science and philosophy, The Healing, this first volume represents arguably the most brilliant mind of late antiquity grappling with and rethinking the entire tradition of natural philosophy inherited from the Greeks as well as the physical thought of Muslim speculative theologians.

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Book SynopsisAddressing the rupture between religious and social sciences in Arab universities, this book provides a critical assessment of the curricula of Shariah and Islamic Studies departments across the Arab World, arguing for increased interdisciplinary dialogue.Based on over 250 interviews with university students and teachers, this study is the sum of five years of field research observing the curricula and teaching styles of colleges in the Shariah sciences. The author provides critical insight into these curricula by focusing on case studies in Lebanon and Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait and Qatar, and in Malaysia. In doing so, the book aims to answer the following questions: What is the aim of religious education? Does it aim to create people who specialize solely in religious affairs, or does it aim to form the student according to a comprehensive human framework? What is the nature of the relationship between the social sciences and the Shariah sciences?Trade Review"Typical of Dr. Hanafi’s earlier works, this project is designed around original empirical data, fortified by solid command of religious sciences. In this volume, we find detailed studies of the curricula, theses, sermons, and approaches to religious education across several Muslim-majority countries in different parts of the world. That alone would have been a pioneering accomplishment, but Dr. Hanafi enhances the originality of his contribution by exploring the fruitfulness of a dialogue between the religious sciences he observes and the secular social sciences of which he is a world-renowned expert. There is little in the available literature that rises to the level of this significant book in terms of global scope, depth of knowledge, and cross-breeding of genres of knowledge—all carried out over many years by a key player in global social sciences." Mohammed Bamyeh, University of Pittsburgh, United States "In this book Sari Hanafi explores the state of the art of Islamic studies in different countries, comparing curricula and different learning goals and outcomes. Coming from a sociology background, he realizes the need to reform both social sciences and Islamic studies, and in this book addresses the rupture and its causes. Without necessarily using the notions of post-colonialism, this book is definitely about revisiting the map of sciences as we know it, with all its divisions and complexities. A must read for social scientists and Islamic scholars alike." Heba R. Ezzat, Assistant Professor of Civilization Studies, Ibn Haldun University, Turkey "Sari Hanafi shows how a seasoned social scientist with a personal history of acquaintance with Islamic traditional knowledge can interrogate this traditional knowledge’s current conditions, as represented by three of its globally recognized institutions of learning. Among scholars of Islam, the humanities, and the social sciences, there are instances of overlap, turf-protection, cooperation and competition. This text is an opportunity for all participants in these areas of scholarship to think through, question, and enrich their positions about their academic fields’ palpable and not-so-palpable affinities." Ahmad Atif Ahmad, Professor of Religious Studies, The University of California, United States "Sari Hanafi’s book calls us convincingly to reconsider the existing false binary between Sharia sciences and social sciences. He demonstrates why it is urgently needed and how it can happen. It is a timely call to leave behind the existing pseudo-dichotomies and move forward for a rooted revival through an inclusive multiplex epistemology and methodology which brings together ethical and empirical levels of knowledge." Recep Senturk, Dean of College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and President of Usūl Academy Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Theoretical Approaches and Contexts 1. Shariah Education: Its History, Crisis and Approaches 2. The Arab Religious Field 3. The Islamization of Knowledge: Appraisal and Alternative Part II: Curricula of Shariah Programs in the Arab World 4. Curricula of Shariah Programs in Lebanon: Dominance of the Traditionalist Tendency 5. Shariah Education in Jordan: Traditionalism in a Complicated Religious Field 6. University Shariah Education in Kuwait: Dominance of the Salafi Approach 7. Curricula of Shariah Programs and Islamic Studies in Morocco: Maqasid al-Shariah Approach Part III: Alternative Models 8. Reviving the Ethical in the Shariah Sciences: The Case of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University 9. From Streamlining to Mainstreaming "Islamization of Knowledge": The Case of the International Islamic University of Malaysia Part IV: Reality, Rupture and Alternative 10. Problems Shared by Shariah Colleges 11. Conclusion: Towards Methodological Alternatives in Connecting the Shariah Sciences to the Social Sciences

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Book SynopsisThe time has come to reveal more of Rumi than the inaccurate portrayal of a new age guru. With careful selections from his work and accompanying commentaries this book will bring readers closer to his poetry's true, traditional meaning. -- "Everyone has, in their view, become my close friend / but they have not sought out the secrets within me." - RumiTable of ContentsTAKEN FROM DRAFT MANUSCRIPT KEY THEMES 129 The nafs is something base 169 Journey of the spirit, not the body 171 Fire of anger > Hell 180 The Masnavi must be heeded with discrimination, being not just stories 202 Weeping over sins is better than prayers 203 Allah is the true Friend 204 Travelling helps you to grow 206 Real knowledge and love of Allah 209 Good manners: not to complain 213 Why Allah does not always answer or prayers right away 214 Malice is forbidden in Islam 220 Barrier of jealousy 220 Doing the work is part of trust 224 Look for spiritual friends 227 The Sufi is provided for by Allah 234 This world is tiny but seems great to the spiritually dead 235 You need spiritual vision 236 Your true homeland is the Next World 238 Your sustenance is in the Hands of Allah 239 Allah decides everything, but you must still work 241 Do not blame destiny; blame yourself 242 Don’t look back – look ahead 245 If you are with everyone you are alone; if you are with Allah you are with all 245 Drown in the sea of love 246 Love the Immortal, not the mortal 249 The repentance of Adam 251 Our apparent emotions, ?? joy and sorrow 253 The sun of Ma‘rifa never sets 254 Love the Essence, not the form 255 Love brings life and purity 261 Love is beyond need and greed 264 Love makes and breaks us again and again 266 Ikhla?: Allah Himself is the Reward 268 Allah’s lovers, like Him, take no sleep or food 269 To lovers humiliation and glory are alike 271 Being at prayer 24/7 274 ‘You need annihilation, not grammar’ 275 Ikhlas: ask Him only – seek water from sea, not dry riverbed 277 Seeing one’s own faults 280 Think well of others 281 Ma‘rifa: seeing Allah everywhere 286 Ask, that you may be given 287 Escape attachment to secondary causes 288 Our troubles come to save us from worse 290 Dhikr Allah brings tranquillity 290 The Light of Allah protects and helps 292 Silence of the Sea 294 Bring your heart to Allah 295 Repentance and weeping 296 Muraqaba and veiling the faults of others

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Book Synopsis A Philosopher for All Seasons is an introduction to the life and thought of the mediaeval Persian polymath Nasir al-Din Tusi (d. 1274). Tusi''s scholarly impact on the history of Muslim theoretical and practical wisdom is comparable only to that of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) who served as a model for Tusi''s philosophical and scientific endeavours. During his eventful and controversial career, Tusi produced invaluable texts on almost all the areas of knowledge of the day. He was as interested in the natural world as well as the human and social domains of religion, ethics, logic, astronomy, economics, politics and the arts. Tusi''s intellectual orientation was towards crossing boundaries between Hellenic, Peripatetic, Illuminationist, Twelver, Isma''ili and Sufi discourses. In so doing, he contributed to the formation of a fruitful conversation between different intellectual discourses that led to the redirection of Islamic philosophy towards a more synthetic methodology. His contributions to science, and astronomy in particular, made him the link between Ptolemy and Copernicus and earned him the privilege of having a crater of the Moon named after him, ''Nasireddin''.

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Book SynopsisWith the help of scholars, historians and artists, and through a range of diverse media, this book sets out to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (*), retracing his movements during the famous Hijrah ‘migration’, from Makkah to the oasis town of Yathrib soon to become Madinat an-Nabi, the ‘’City of the Prophet”. Situating the Hijrah firmly within the geography in which it unfolded, the book uses the sacred landscape of the Hijrah as a receptacle for its stories, memories and the events that took place along the route, thus providing tangible links between us and this momentous journey as never before experienced. For over fourteen hundred years, al-Hijrah, the famous story of the Prophet Muhammad’s (*) ‘migration’ from Makkah to Madinah, has been told and retold by generations of Muslims throughout the world. This story, one of endurance overcoming adversity in pursuit of religious freedom to establish a nation united by bonds of brotherhood and faith, has continued to be an inspiration from which renewed meanings have been drawn. This book follows in the footsteps of the Prophet (*), retracing his movements during this crucial journey, and examining what occurred as he left his home in Makkah to the oasis town of Yathrib soon to become the “City of the Prophet”. However, unlike anything seen before, this book anchors the Hijrah firmly within the geography in which it unfolded. Acting as a receptacle for its stories, memories and the events that took place along the route, the sacred landscape of the Hijrah provides tangible links between us and this momentous journey as never before, bringing a greater appreciation of the Hijrah story.

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Book Synopsis''Work for your terrestrial life in proportion to your location in it, and work for your afterlife in proportion to your eternity in it.'' This is part of the advice that the great theologian and mystic Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111 AD) put down in his Letter to a Disciple. An old disciple of al-Ghazali had studied the Islamic sciences, including the many works of his master, for most of his life. Faced with the proximity of death, he turns again to his master this time asking for a summary of all his teachings. Letter to a Disciple is al-Ghazali''s response. The emphasis in this short treatise is on religious and spiritual action and on putting into practice the knowledge that one has acquired. Letter to a Disciple can be considered as the last testament of he who is regarded as Hujjat al-Islam, the ''Proof of Islam''. This new translation is presented here as a bilingual Arabic-English edition.

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Book SynopsisKahlil Gibran (1887-1931) was a Lebanese-American poet, writer and artist. His work has been translated into more than twenty languages, and his drawings and paintings have been exhibited worldwide.John Baldock is an experienced freelance editor and editorial consultant with an interest in the spiritual core of mainstream religions, including Judaeo-Christian-Islamic teachings. He has given talks throughout Europe and the USA on these and related subjects. His published books include The Essence of Sufism, The Elements of Christian Symbolism and The Alternative Gospel.

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Book SynopsisWe take for granted that only certain kind of things exist electrons but not angels, passports but not nymphs. This is what we understand as reality'. But in fact, reality' varies with each era of the world, in turn shaping the field of what is possible to do, think and imagine. Our contemporary age has embraced a troubling and painful form of reality: Technic. Under Technic, the foundations of reality begin to crumble, shrinking the field of the possible and freezing our lives in an anguished state of paralysis. Technic and Magic shows that the way out of the present deadlock lies much deeper than debates on politics or economics. By drawing from an array of Northern and Southern sources spanning from Heidegger, Junger and Stirner's philosophies, through Pessoa's poetry, to Advaita Vedanta, Bhartrhari, Ibn Arabi, Suhrawardi and Mulla Sadra's theosophies Magic is presented as an alternative system of reality to Technic. While Technic attempts to capture the world through an Trade ReviewFederico Campagna's book is a brilliant tour de force that oscillates between lucid analyses of philosophical concepts, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western frameworks, and radical propositions for alternative worlds. By attempting to galvanize human perception out of its paralyzed and bordered state, what William Blake refers to as ‘the narrow chinks of [our] cavern’, Campagna expertly unravels the very foundations upon which our contemporary reality sits. Technic and Magic gradually builds towards a new and striking reconfiguration of reality that merges together the past, present and future. -- Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director at the Serpentine Galleries, London, UKFederico Campagna’s brilliant Technic and Magic is essential reading for our desperate times. This stunning historical and philosophical exploration radically transforms our understanding of the global technological culture we now inhabit. -- Jonathan Crary, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Modern Art and Theory, Columbia University, USA, author of 24/7Both Technic and Magic are used by us to change the world. However, as Frederico Campagna argues, Technic serves the accumulation of power whereas Magic, on the contrary, protects life and its value. In his fascinating book Campagna makes a parcours through the Indian, Islamic and old Gnostic sources to discover the hidden, hermetic tradition of magical thinking that keeps its relevance also for our contemporary condition. -- Boris Groys, Global Distinguished Professor of Russian and Slavic Studies, New York University, USACampagna takes us on a philosophically rich journey that is signposted by new terms and concepts discussed with due reference to other philosophical settings, including as they developed in Persia. His engaging prose promises to make a distinct contribution to emerging fields of knowledge. -- Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Professor in Global Thought and Comparative Philosophies, SOAS, University of London, and Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute, UKThis is a book not only for philosophers but also for poets and their readers and for all those who try to uphold the dignity of their spiritual existence. Is magic still a liveable territory? Federico Campagna asks fundamental questions but also has original suggestions how to keep this high flame alive in a radically non-magical world. -- Adam Zagajewski, poet, novelist and translator, author of 'Mysticism for Beginners: Poems'Campagna breaks with tradition by advancing scholarship that explores a common past and common understandings of meta-philosophical concepts, crossing the geopolitical barriers between the East and the West. Rarely does one see such ability to discuss complex, metaphysical and philosophic themes in a light and poetic manner - Outstanding. -- Ghoncheh Tazmini, Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS University of London, UKTable of ContentsPREFACE, ‘The Keymaker’ by Timothy Morton INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE – TECHNIC’S WORLD - Crisis of Reality - Technic - Measure and Infinity - No Outside - Crisis of Action, Crisis of Imagination CHAPTER TWO – TECHNIC’S COSMOGONY - Defining Terms - 1 Absolute Language - 2 Measure - 3 Unit - 4 Abstract General Entity - 5 Life As Vulnerability - Upper and Lower Limits: Ego Absconditus and Double Affirmation - Conclusion INTERMISSION – WHAT IS REALITY? - Between India and the West - Why Seek Reality? CHAPTER THREE – MAGIC’S COSMOGONY - Defining Terms - 1 The Ineffable as Life - 2 Person - 3 Symbol - 4 Meaning - 5 Paradox - Upper and Lower Limits: Double Negation and Deus Absconditus - Conclusion CHAPTER FOUR – MAGIC’S WORLD - Outside Within - Secret - Initiation - As if - Happy Ending Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRahim Acar is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Marmara University, Turkey.M. Cüneyt Kaya is Professor of Islamic Philosophy at Istanbul University, Turkey.

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Book SynopsisThe eleventh chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences begins the section dealing with man and society. In this volume, concentrating on the manners relating to eating, Ghazali first discusses what a person must uphold when eating by himself: that the food is lawful, that both the person and the surroundings should be clean, that one must be content with what is available, and how the person should conduct himself while eating and after eating. Ghazali then proceeds to discuss eating in company and says that to all the above should be added the necessity of courtesy, conversation and the proper presentation of food. Finally, Ghazali expounds the virtues of hospitality and generosity and the conduct of the host as well as that of the guest. Other topics that are discussed are: abstention from food, fasting and general health.In this new edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included a translation of Imam Ghazali''s own Introduction to the Revival of the Religious Sciences which gives the reasons that caused him to write the work, the structure of the whole of the Revival, and places each of the chapters in the context of the others.

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Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Vigilance and Self-examination is the thirty-eighth chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences and follows on from Al-Ghazali on Intention, Sincerity & Truthfulness. Here Ghazali focuses on the different stations of steadfastness in religion (murabata), vigilance and self-examination being its cornerstones. As in all his writings, Ghazali bases his arguments on the Qur''an, the example of the Prophet and the sayings of numerous scholars and Sufis.

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment is the thirty-sixth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali''s Revival of the Religious Sciences. This was the first treatise which established not merely the possibility but the necessity for the love of God. Ghazali argues that all the virtues and spiritual stages that precede love, like repentance, patience and thankfulness, lead to love; and all the spiritual stages that follow on from love are a result of it. Out of Ghazali''s pioneering treatment would emerge not only new trends in Sufi theory and practice, but an entire body of mystical poetry including that of the great Persian poets Rumi and Hafiz. The translation is preceded by an extensive introduction which sets the work in its historical and spiritual context.

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Book SynopsisPeter Adamson presents the first full history of philosophy in the Islamic world for a broad readership. He traces its development from early Islam to the 20th century, from Spain to Persia. He introduces Jewish and Christian thinkers as well as Muslim; theology, mysticism, and the history of science all feature here in this rich and lively story.Trade ReviewAdamson gives a solid introduction to this encompassing history, which clearly will help students to acquire a serious first knowledge of this rich and complex history, but also often offers the advanced reader interesting insights. * Jules Janssens, Tidschrift voor Filosofie *[Adamson's] account of philosophy in the Islamic world and the larger project of which it is a part establish a new paradigm for telling the story of philosophy. * Carlos Fraenkel, Los Angeles Review of Books *This is a well-written and interesting work . . . the author deserves credit for engaging with such a complex subject and making it accessible to the public. * Muhammad Khan, The Muslim News *From the first volume onwards, a repeated refrain has been philosophers arguing that being a philosopher is the best choice in life. These books are so engaging, instructive, and diverting, it might almost make you believe that is true. * Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday *short, conversational chapters sparkling with new ideas, interpretations and a lively sense of humour. Adamson is so easy to learn, absorb, and enjoy, that all the info slips down with hardly a hiccup. * Steve Craggs, Northern Echo *bite-sized, well-indexed chapters on key philosophers, movements, and developments which took place in the Islamic world. * Daniel J. Levy, Jewish News *Table of ContentsPart I: The Formative Period 1: The Straight Path: Philosophy and Islam 2: All for One: The Mu'tazilites 3: Founded in Translation: From Greek to Syriac to Arabic 4: Philosopher of the Arabs: al-Kind=i 5: The Chosen Ones: Philosophy and Judaism 6: Reasoned Belief: Saadia Gaon 7: High Five: al-R=az=i 8: Aristotelian Society: the Baghdad School 9: The Second Master: al-F=ar=ab=i 10: State of Mind: al-F=ar=ab=i on Religion and Politics 11: Eye of the Beholder: Theories of Vision 12: Strings Attached: Music and Philosophy 13: Balancing Acts: Arabic Ethical Literature 14: Undercover Brothers: Philosophy in the Buyid Age 15: God Willing: the Ash'arites 16: The Self-Made Man: Avicenna's Life and Works 17: By the Time I Get to Phoenix: Avicenna on Existence 18: By All Means Necessary: Avicenna on God 19: Into Thin Air: Avicenna on the Soul 20: Special Delivery: al-Ghaz=al=i 21: Miracle Worker: al-Ghaz=al=i against the Philosophers Part II: Andalusia 22: Philosophy's Reign in Spain: Andalusia 23: Laying Down the Law: Ibn .Hazm and Islamic Legal Theory 24: Fantasy Island: Ibn B=ajja and Ibn Tufayl 25: Back to Basics: Averroes on Reason and Religion 26: Single Minded: Averroes on the Intellect 27: A Matter of Taste: Ibn 'Arab=i and Mysticism 28: Team Spirit: Ibn Khald=un 29: Matter over Mind: Ibn Gabirol 30: Choosing My Religion: Judah Hallevi 31: Born Under a Bad Sign: Freedom and Astrology in Jewish Philosophy 32: With All Your Heart: Ethics and Judaism 33: The Great Eagle: Maimonides 34: He Moves in Mysterious Ways: Maimonides on Eternity 35: Burnt Offerings: the Maimonides Controversy 36: Man and Superman: Gersonides and the Jewish Reception of Averroes 37: Neither the Time nor the Place: .Hasdai Crescas 38: When Bad Things Happen to Good People: Suffering in Jewish Philosophy 39: Chariot of Fire: Kabbalah 40: A Matter of Principles: Joseph Albo and Isaac Abravanel Part III: The Later Traditions 41: Golden Ages: The Later Traditions 42: All Things Considered: Ab=u l-Barak=at al-Baghd=ad=i 43: For the Sake of Argument: Fakhr al-D=in al-R=az=i 44: Let There Be Light: Suhraward=i 45: Bright Ideas: Illuminationism 46: A Man for All Seasons: Na.s=ir al-D=in al-.T=us=i 47: To Be or Not to Be: Debating Avicenna's Metaphysics 48: Eyes Wide Shut: al-R=um=i and Philosophical Sufism 49: Proof Positive: The Logical Tradition 50: By the Book: Ibn Taymiyya 51: Aftermath: Philosophy and Science in the Mongol Age 52: Family Feud: Philosophy at Sh=ir=az 53: Follow the Leader: Philosophy under the Safavids 54: To Be, Continued: Mull=a .Sadr=a on Existence 55: Return to Sender: Mull=a .Sadr=a on Motion and Knowledge 56: Subcontinental Drift: Philosophy in Islamic India 57: Turkish Delights: Philosophy under the Ottomans 58: Blind Alley: Taql=id, Sufism, and Philosophy 59: The Young Ones: Encounters with European Thought 60: The Stronger Sex: Women Scholars in the Islamic World 61: All for One and One for All: Mu.hammad 'Abduh and Mu.hammad Iqb=al 62: Iran So Far: The Heirs of Mull=a .Sadr=a

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the writings on virtues and ethics of eighteenth-century Puritan Jonathan Edwards.Trade Review“Elizabeth Agnew Cochran’s examination of Jonathan Edwards and the human virtues engages questions of interest both to contemporary ethicists and to historians of eighteenth-century American and British thought. No other scholar has focused so intently on Edwards’s views of the human virtues or illustrated so carefully the problems inherent in their articulation in his theology or the solutions he devised to overcome those problems. The style is lucid and unpretentious, and Cochran contributes to a lively continuing conversation among ethicists and historians about the plausibility of an ethics of virtue in a Christian moral theology. By arguing skillfully that an ethics of virtue can have, as it did for Edwards, Christian rather than exclusively Aristotelian presuppositions, she stakes out a forceful position in a continuing debate.”—E. Brooks Holifield,Charles Howard Candler Professor, Emory University“Elizabeth Agnew Cochran offers very perceptive insights both into Edwards and into the value of Edwards for contemporary discussions of virtue ethics.”—George Marsden,University of Notre Dame“Professor Cochran explicates with unprecedented clarity Edwards’s concern to balance an exalted vision of true virtue for the saints with a natural goodness available for cultivation more generally. She thus surprises by showing Edwards's God to be concerned with building not only a church shining with moral beauty but also a world of justice and civility. This sophisticated and elegant book will become an essential resource for all future studies of the ethics of America's theologian.”—Gerald R. McDermott,Roanoke College“We have long recognized that Edwards played a key role in the development of American theology and religious life more generally, and in recent years a number of scholars have begun to re-examine his role in the formation of a distinctively American form of philosophy. Given his overall importance, it is hardly surprising that Edwards’s ethical writings, including his theory of virtue, have received sustained attention. At the same time, however, much of the recent work on Edwards’s virtue ethics has minimized its distinctiveness, by assimilating it to more familiar Aristotelian approaches, or taking it out of the wider context of Edwards’s other work, or both. In this book, Elizabeth Cochran offers a bold and much-needed corrective. In her view, Edwards understands the virtues properly so called to be attributes of God, and to be attributes of human persons only in a secondary sense. In order to make the case for this interpretation, she draws on the full range of Edwards’s theological writings, in addition to considering the leading philosophical thinkers who helped to frame the context of his thought. By doing so, she shows Edwards to be a sophisticated moral thinker, important in his own context, and potentially an interlocutor in our own debates over the virtues. In particular, this study will be welcomed by those moral philosophers who have recently attempted to retrieve broadly Platonic, exemplarist theories of the virtues. Cochran shows that this approach to virtue theory can claim at least one distinguished American predecessor in Edwards. Seen from the standpoint of contemporary advocates of an exemplarist account of virtues, Edwards is particularly important because his primary interlocutors are the ‘moral sense’ theorists of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, including David Hume—the ancestors of emotivist theories of virtue which currently constitute another central strand of virtue ethics. Yet Edwards engages directly with the moral sense theorists of his own day, showing how his exemplarist account offers a more satisfactory account of virtue than they can provide, even understood on their own terms. While the terms of the relevant debates have of course changed a great deal since Edwards’s day, he nonetheless offers contemporary philosophers some valuable insights into our current debates, and defenders of exemplarist theories of virtue will find him an unexpected, yet valuable ally.”—Jean Porter,University of Notre Dame“To restore virtue to the heart of morality, today's theological ethicists retrieve and mine the works of Augustine and Aquinas, as well as their philosophical precursors, Plato and Aristotle. Into this pantheon of virtue ethicists, Elizabeth Agnew Cochran now proposes, from the New World, the Puritan Jonathan Edwards. This surprising proposal is completely convincing and satisfying. Cochran gives us not only a compelling key in which to read the great American theologian (Edwards scholars take note!), but also a contemporary notion of moral agency, humbly cognizant of human sinfulness as well as the call to responsibility and the need for grace. Cochran's refreshingly rich theological account makes the restoration of virtue ethics all the more probable by attending to, rather than ignoring, the Reformation. Brava!”—James F. Keenan, S.J.,Boston College“Cochran presents a creative, concise, and lucid account that deserves serious consideration by historians, theologians, and ethicists.”—B. M. Stephens ChoiceTable of ContentsContents Preface Acknowledgments1. An Ethic of Receptive Human Virtues2. Love as Necessary and Volitional: Edwards’s Account of True Virtue in God3. Charity as a Human Virtue: The Moral Accountability of a Necessary Nature4. Humility as a Human Virtue: Imaging God’s Mercy Through Creaturely Capacities5. Virtuous Repentance: Apprehending and Approving God’s Moral Excellence6. Justice and Partial Loves: The Natural Goodness of Incomplete VirtuesConclusion Virtues, Accountability, and Dependence: Edwards’s Significance for Contemporary Christian EthicsNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that the Muslim theologian Abu Hamid al-Ghazali was a popularizer of philosophy more than its critic and that his theory of mystical cognition is based on the theory of prophecy of the philosopher Avicenna.Trade Review"This book deserves the full attention of all specialists in the field."Jules Janssens, Catholic University Leuven, BelgiumJournal of the American Oriental Society 135.2 (2015)Table of ContentsIntroduction: A New Paradigm in Ghazālian Studies 1. Heart, Intelligence, Knowledge 2. The Science of Unveiling 3. Tasting and Witnessing 4. Inspiration and Revelation 5. Al-Ghazālī and the Philosophical Tradition. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisIn this classic study, Herbert A. Davidson examines every medieval Arabic and Hebrew proof for the eternity of the world, the creation of the world and the existence of God which has philosophical character, disregarding only those that rest entirely on religious faith or fall below a minimum threshold of plausibility. Classifying the proofs systematically, he analyses and explains them, and traces their sources in Greek philosophy. He pursues the penetration of some of these Islamic and Jewish arguments into medieval Christian philosophy and, in a few instances, all the way into seventeenth- and eighteenth-century European philosophy. Unique in both its classification of the proofs and its comprehensiveness, this work will once again serve medievalists, historians of philosophy and historians of ideas.Trade Review‘This book is a tour de force of real scholarship, methodical analysis, and painstaking classification… Davidson’s canvas is vast. All the major Islamic and Judaic philosophers are here and the book is thus assured of a ready sale among students and scholars of both.’ * Philosophy East and West *‘Extraordinarily successful… Davidson’s book is an invaluable contribution to the understanding of the history of ideas; it is also a stimulating essay of philosophical analysis.’ * Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies *‘A towering achievement. At the height of his powers here, Davidson has gone back to the sources to assemble all the significant medieval Islamic and Jewish proofs for the eternity of the world, for the creation of the world, and for the existence of God… It is most welcome to see the medieval Islamic and Jewish philosophers treated so rigorously in their own right, not merely as precursors to Aquinas, or, even worse, as puppets dangling in a history of medieval thought. This book provides as clear an indication as one could hope to have of the health and vitality of Greek wisdom before its (re)discovery in (Christian) Europe.’ * Journal of the American Oriental Society *Table of ContentsI Introduction 1. Eternity, creation, and the existence of God 2. The present book II Proofs of Eternity from the Nature of the World 1. Proofs of eternity 2. Proofs of eternity from the nature of the physical world 3. Replies to proofs from the nature of the world 4. Summary III Proofs of Eternity from the Nature of God 1. The Proofs 2. Replies to proofs from the nature of the cause of the universe 3. Summary IV John Philoponus’ Proofs of Creation and Their Entry into Medieval Arabic Philosophy 1. Philoponus’ proofs of creation 2. Saadia and Philoponus 3. Kindi and Philoponus 4. Summary V Kalam Proofs for Creation 1. Proofs from the impossibility of an infinite number 2. Responses of the medieval Aristotelians to proofs of creation from the impossibility of an infinite number 3. The standard Kalam proof for creation: the proof from accidents 4. Juwayni’s version of the proof from accidents 5. Proofs from composition VI Arguments from the Concept of Particularization 1. Inferring the existence of God from creation 2. Arguments from the concept of particularization 3. Particularization arguments for the existence of God without the premise of creation; particularization arguments for creation 4. Ghazali and Maimonides 5. Additional arguments for creation in Maimonides and Gersonides VII Arguments from Design 1. Cosmological, teleological, and ontological proofs of the existence of God 2. Teleological arguments 3. Summary VIII The Proof from Motion 1. Aristotle’s proof from motion 2. Maimonides’ version of the proof from motion 3. Hasdai Crescas’ critique of the proof from motion 4. Another proof from motion IX Avicenna’s Proof of the Existence of a Being Necessarily Existent by Virtue of Itself 1. First cause of motion and first cause of existence 2. The existence of God: a problem for metaphysics 3. Necessarily existent being and possibly existent being 4. The attributes of the necessarily existent by virtue of itself 5. Proof of existence of the necessarily existent by virtue of itself 6. Questions raised by Avicenna’s proof 7. The version of Avicenna’s proof in Shahrastani and Crescas 8. Summary X Averroes’ Critique of Avicenna’s Proof 1. The proof of the existence of God as a subject for physics 2. Necessarily existent by virtue of another, possibly existent by virtue of itself 3. The nature of the celestial spheres according to Averroes 4. Averroes’ critique of the body of Avicenna’s proof 5. Summary XI Proofs of the Existence of God from the Impossibility of an Infinite Regress of Efficient Causes 1. The proof from the impossibility of an infinite regress of causes 2. Unity and incorporeality 3. The proof from the impossibility of an infinite regress of efficient causes and the proof from the concepts possibly existent and necessarily existent 4. Resumé 5. Crescas on the impossibility of an infinite regress 6. Ghazali’s critique of Avicenna’s proof 7. Summary XII Subsequent History of Proofs from the Concept of Necessary Existence 1. Maimonides and Aquinas 2. The influence of Avicenna’s proof 3. Proofs of the existence of God as a necessarily existent being in modern European philosophy 4. Summary 5. Concluding remark Appendix A. Two Philosophic Principles 1. The principle that an infinite number is impossible 2. The principle that a finite body contains only finite power Appendix B. Inventory of Proofs Primary Sources Index of Philosophers Index of Terms

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Book SynopsisIf justice is an intrinsic value in Islam, why have women been treated as second-class citizens in Islamic legal tradition?If justice is an intrinsic value in Islam, why have women been treated as second-class citizens in Islamic legal tradition? Today, the idea of gender equality, inherent to contemporary conceptions of justice, presents a challenge to established, patriarchal interpretations of Shari‘a. In thought-provoking discussions with six influential Muslim intellectuals - Abdullahi An-Na’im, Amina Wadud, Asma Lamrabet, Khaled Abou El Fadl, Mohsen Kadivar and Sedigheh Vasmaghi - Ziba Mir-Hosseini explores how egalitarian gender laws might be constructed from within the Islamic legal framework.Trade Review‘Makes leading Muslim reformists’ works and arguments about gender and women’s rights accessible to a wider readership… Besides being an obvious choice for a textbook in Islam and Gender courses, Mir-Hosseini’s latest work will resonate with any readers seeking to reconcile notions like gender equality and women’s rights with outdated, patriarchal interpretations of Islam.’ * The New Arab *‘Ziba Mir-Hosseini offers us an insightful and illuminating meditation on the struggle for justice for women in Islam in recent decades. Essential reading on the subject, her book will surely become a classic.’ -- Leila Ahmed, Victor S. Thomas Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University‘Among today’s most innovative and influential Islamic thinkers, Ziba Mir-Hosseini has worked for decades to promote gender equality in Muslim family law. The fascinating and engaging dialogues in this volume…reflect her twin commitments to conceptual precision and real-world transformation.’ * Kecia Ali, Professor of Religion, Boston University *‘Long one of our age’s most gifted scholars on Islam, gender, and equality, Ziba Mir-Hosseini has written a new book that takes readers through a conversational journey about gender equality with six leading Muslim intellectuals. Both deeply personal and scholarly, the journey’s narratives offer state-of-the-field commentaries on not just gender equality but Shari‘a law and Muslim ethics in our late-modern age. The result is one of the most important and enjoyable books on Islam and gender that I have ever read.’ * Robert W. Hefner, Professor of Anthropology and Global Affairs, Boston University *‘At once personal and scholarly, diverse yet focused on particular issues, presenting both spiritual and intellectual journeys, this work represents an original way of broaching the ever-elusive subject of gender in Islam.’ * Omaima Abou-Bakr, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Cairo University *

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